2, 2-dialkyl-3-alkoxy cyclobutanone derivatives



United States Patent 3,312,741 2,2-DIALKYL-3-ALKOXY CYCLQBUTANONE DERIVATIVES James C. Martin, Kingsport, Tenn., assignor to Eastman Patented Apr. 4, 1967 as butenyl, pentenyl, hexenyl, decenyl, etc.; and aromatic radicals preferably mononuclear aromatic radicals such as phenyl, betmyl, tolyl, etc.

The value of the integer n is 0 or 1 in certain pre- Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of 5 fared embodlments of themvenuqn' New Jersey The novel compounds of the invention of lower mo- N Drawing il 29 19 3 27 177 lecular weight are unexpectedly useful as plasticizers for 7 Cl i ((31, 260 586) a wide variety of polymeric plastic materials. The higher molecular weight compounds within the scope of the This invention relates to organic chemistry. More 10 invention, e.g., those in which the substituents R and particularly this invention relates to novel organic com- R have more than 8 carbon atoms or R has more than pounds that are useful as plasticizers and to a novel 20 carbon atoms, are suitable as Waxy coating mamethod for preparing these and other organic comterials, e.g., for wood, paper, etc. pounds. A convenient method of incorporating the novel com- The novel compounds of the invention are hydropounds of the invention into the polymeric material is carbyloxy substituted cyclobutanones of the formula: to mill the two together on hot rolls. Other methods,

2 well known in the art, are equally useful. R1 I C=O The novel plasticized compositions thus comprise a I f normally solid polymeric plastic material and a plasticiz- R O-OH-CH \Cn hT mg amount of one or more of the novel compounds of the invention. The exact concentration of the plastiwherein ea h f R and R2 15 Saturated hydrocarbll cizer depends on the type of polymer being plasticized radical, R 15 a y p y Tadlcal free of acetylenl'c and the use to which the plasticized polymer will he unsaturatlon and havmg at least 4 carbon is put. In general, plasticizer concentrations of about 10 an integer from 0 to about 4 and R1, R2 together parts of plasticizer per 10 0 parts of polymer give prodcontain at least 8 carbon atoms; more specifically: ucts which are particularly useful- 4 Preferred compounds for use as plasticizers include 2,2-dimethyl 3 (2 ethylhexyloxy)cyclobutanone, 2,2- dimethyl 3 (oct-adecyloxy)cyclobutanone, 2,2 di- RaO OH "CH2 methyl 3 decyloxycyclobutanone, 2,2 dimethyl 3- The saturated hydrocarbyl radicals R and R are menthyloxycyclobutanone, 2,2 dimethyl 3 cycloalkyl or cyclo-alkyl radicals and preferably contain from butanone, Z-butyl 2 ethyl-3-(i-butoxy)cyclobutanone, 1 to about 8 carbon atoms each. In addition the hydroand 2,2 dimethyl 3 benyloxycyclobutanone. carbyl radicals R and R can collectively represent an The following example illustrates the unusual veralkylene group which, together with the carbon atom satility of the novel compounds of the invention. to which they are attached, form a saturated carbocyclic ring of 5 to 6 ring carbon atoms, e.g., as in pentamethyl- Example I eneketene and tetramethyleneketene. Typical of the saturated hydrocarbyl radicals which R and R can be, The mp l X Y EY YNY are methyl ethyl, propyl, ppmpyl, b 1 i 1 1 4O butanone was incorporated into a poly(v1nylchlor1de) butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, zethylhexyl, 11 resin, a cellulose acetatebutyrate resm and a cellulose tetramet hylene pentamethylene, m propionate resin at various concentrations by Illllllllg The hydrocarbyl radical R in the novel compounds of the Compound the feSlH together 011 110i the invention can be any such radical free of acetylenic Table I P 'Q FP P K P P S 0f unsaturation and having more than 4 carbon atoms and the Various l'eslns Plastlclzed With Y Y is preferably such a hydrocarbyl radical of 4 to about Y Y) y With the Properties 0f the Same 20 carbon atoms. Examples of the hydrocarbyl radiresins plasticized with identical concentrations of comcal R include alkyl radicals such as n-butyl, i-butyl, penmeric-al plasticizers.

TABLE I Poly(vinyl Cellulose Acetate Butyrate Cellulose Propionate chloride) Geon 101EP50 Property PHR l 10 PER 25 PER 10 PHR 25 PER P22 D01 Pz DOP Pz DOP Pz DPB I Pz DPB Hardness (Durometer) A298 Z295 gjg gjg gig gig Tensile Strength (upper yield), 72F None None 5,120 5,100 3,430 3, 370 6,210 6,400 4, 320 4, 080 3, 300 2, 840 4, 930 4, 869 4,150 4, 050 5, $40 5,554 4,670 4,000 Elongation, 72 F., percent... 295 320 43 46 42 28 55 Modulus of Elasticity 2,170 1, s74 1.6 10 1. 68 l0 1. 28x10 1. 21x10: 1. 212x10 1.87X105 1. 56X105 1.47 10 Water Absorption, Percent 1.17 0. 17 1. 87 1. 49 1. 61 1.16 2.28 2. 09 1.85 1. 52 Material Leeched Out,

Percent .1 .03 .49 .46 .52 .35 .56 .6 .47 .43

1 PHR=parts plasticizer per 100 parts resin. 2 Pz =3-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2,2-dimethylcyelobutanone. 3 DOP=dioctylphtha1ate. 4 DBP =diisobutylphtha1ate. tyl, hexyl, Z-ethylhexyl, n-octyl, nonyl, decyl, pentadecyl, The compounds of the invention and other compounds octadecyl, eicosyl, etc.; cycloalkyl radicals such as cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclo'hexyl, etc.; alkenyl radicals such can be prepared by the process which comprises combining a disubstituted ketene with an unsubstituted or 3 substituted vinylether at a temperature of about 20 C. to about 150 C.

The ketenes which are useful in the practice of the invention are disubstituted ketenes of the formula:

wherein R is a hydrocarbyl radical free of acetylenic unsaturation and n is an integer from to about 4.

The hydrocarbyl radical R preferably has from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms. Examples of the hydrocarbyl radical R include allcyl radicals such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, i-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, Z-ethylhexyl, octyl, decyl, pentadecyl, octadecyl, eicosyl, etc., cycloalkyl radicals such as cyclobutyl, menthyl, cyclohexyl,

etc., alkenyl such as vinyl, allyl, butenyl, pentenyl, hexenyl, decenyl, etc. and aromatic radicals, preferably mononuclear aromatic radicals such as phe-nyl, be-nzyl, tolyl, etc.

The interger n preferably has a value of 0 to 1.

The phrase hydrocarbyl radical is used herein in its usual sense and includes all 'monovalent radicals containing only carbon and hydrogen as pointed out, for instance, in U.S. 3,066,148 and US. 308,043.

There appears to be no upper limit to the size of the substituents R R and R insofar as the operability of the process is concerned. The tendency of the disubstituted ketene to dimerize is retarded as R and R increase in size, but the cycloaddition of the disubstituted ketene with the vinyl ether is not excessively retarded.

Examples of preferred unsaturated ethers for use in the process of the invention include '2-ethylhexylvinyl ether, butylvinyl ether, i-butylvinyl ether, n-octadecylvinyl ether, n-decylvinyl ether, hexylvinyl ether, butyl-l-propenyl ether, ethylvinyl ether, methylvinyl ether, benzylvinyl ether, allylvinyl ether, etc.

The process of the invention is preferably carried out by combining equimolar ketene and the vinyl ether. In certain instances it is preferred to use an excess of the vinyl ether.

The process can be carried out with or without a solvent. Suitable solvents are those which are inert to the reactants and the product. Typical of solvents which are suitable are aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, chlorinated aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, etc. Dipolar aprotic solvents such as acetonitrile, dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylformamide and others of the types disclosed in applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 244,566, filed Dec. 14, 1962 are particularly useful and are normally preferred because they increase the reaction rate.

The reaction time and temperature depend upon the exact nature of the reactants being used. It is preferred to operate at a temperature of from about 20 C. to about 150 C. The exact time required varies according to the reactants and the temperature. In general reaction times of from about /2 hour to about 6 hours are preferred.

The following examples illustrate the preparation of the novel compounds of the invention and the novel process of the invention.

quantities of the disubstituted menthylvinyl ether, cyclohours.

C-lHlJ O CHCH2O (CH3):

04H To a stirred solution of 312 g. (2 moles) of 2-ethy1- hexyl vinyl ether in 1000 m1. of diethyl ether under nitrogen was added 140 g. (2 moles) of dimethylketene. The

resulting solution was stirred at room temperature for 6 hours and then distilled through a 12-in. packed column to give 103 g. of recovered vinyl 2-ethylhexyl ether and 253 g. (84%) of 3 (2-ethylhexyloxy)-2,2-dimethylcyclobutanone, B.P. 85 (0.1 mm.), n 1.4419.

. Analysis.-Calcd. for C H O C, 74.3; H, 11.5; mol. wt. 226. Found: C, 74.2; H, 11.6; mol. wt. (B.P. elevation in benzene), 225. The infrared spectrum showed an absorption at 5.63 characteristic of cyclobutanones.

Example 3 To a stirred refluxing solution of 184 g. (1 mole) of decyl vinyl ether in 300 ml. of hexane is added 70 g. (1 mole) of dimethylketene. Refluxing is continued for 30 min. and the solution is distilled through a 10-in. packed column to yield 2,2-dimethyl-3-decyloxycyclobutanone, B.P. 118119 (0.5 mol.).

l f CaHsCH O (CH3):

Example 5 C4 9 J.=O CH2=CHOCAHQ I C=C=O 041190 'C4H A solution of 252 g. (2 moles) of butylethylketene in 400 g. (4 moles) 'butyl ,vinyl ether is refluxed for 24 Distillation of the reaction solution through a 10-in. packed column gives 2-buty1-3-butoxy-2-ethylcyc1obutanone.

A solution of 126 g. (1 mole) of butylethylketene in 200 g. (2.0 moles) of isobutyl vinyl ether was heated in a stainless steel autoclave at 130 for 3 hours. The reaction solution was distilled through a lO-in. packed column to give a high yield of 2-butyl-3-(isobutoxy)-2-ethylcyclobutanone, B.P. 76-78 (0.5 mm).

Example 7 The general method described in Example 3 was used to prepare the following 2,2-dialkyl-3-alkoxycyclobutanones from the reactants shown. Yields were good in 6 was exothermic and required the use of an ice bath to keep the temperature at 30-40". When no more heat was evolved, the reaction solution was distilled rapidly through a 6-in. Vigreux column to give a high yield of every case. 5 3-ethoxy-2,2-dimethylcyclobutanone.

Unsaturated Ether Dialkylketene Product B.P.

n-Octadecyl vinyl ether. Dirnethylketene 2,2-dirnethyl-3-(octadeeyloxy)- cyclobutenone. Menthyl vinyl ether do 3-rtnelgthyloxy-22dunethylcyclo- 105-107 (0.7 mm.)

11 anone. Cyclohexyl vinyl ether .do 3-cyclohexyloxy-2,Z-dimethyl- 80 (2 mm.)

cyclobutanone. Z-ethylhexyl vinyl ether Butylethylketene 2-butyl-2-ethyl-3-(2-ethylhexyl- 121123 (0.5 mm.)

oxy)-oyclobutanone. Isobutyl vinyl ether do z-butyl-t-l-(isobutoxy)-2-ethyl- 7678 (0.5 mm.)

cyclobutanone. D0 Diethylketene 3-(isobutoxy)-2,2diethylcycl0- (iii-69 (1.5 mm.)

butanone. Do Methylpropylketene..- 3(isobutoxy)-2-rnethyl-2-propyl- 66-68 (1.5 mm.)

cyclobutanone.

1 Molecular distillation.

The following examples illustrate the novel process of the invention.

Example 8 Example 9 J (CHs)2CHCHzO (CHSM To a stirred, refluxing solution of 100 g. (1 mole) of isobutyl vinyl ether in 300 ml. of hexane was added 70 g. (1 mole) of dimethylketene. Refluxing was continued for 30 min. and the solution was distilled through a 10-in. packed column to give 12 g. of recovered isobutyl vinyl ether and 135 g. (90%) of 3-isobutoxy-2,2-dimethylcyclobutanone, B.P. 7879 (7 mm.). The infrared spectrum showed a strong absorption at 5.63

Example 10 To 960 g. (13.3 moles) of ethyl vinyl ether, stirred under a nitrogen atmosphere, was added 600 g. (8.6 moles) of dimethylketene over a period of 4 hours at 25-30. The reaction solution was stirred at room temperature for four hours more. Distillation of this solution through a 12-in. Vigreux column gave 315 g. (4.4 moles) of unchanged ethyl vinyl ether and 975 g. (80%) of 3-ethoxy- 2,Z-dimethylcyclobutanone, B.P. 8283 (38 mm.), n 1.4270.

Analysis.Calcd. for C H O C, 67.6; H, 9.9. Found: C, 67.8; H, 10.0.

Example 11 To a solution of 72 g. (1 mole) of ethyl vinyl ether in 300 ml. of acetonitrile at 25 was added 70 g. (1 mole) of dimethylketene over a period of min. The reaction Solutions of 79 lb. of dimethylketene in lb. of hexane and 96 lb. of methyl vinyl ether in 163 lb. of hexane were pumped simultaneously into a reaction vessel over a period of 100 hr. The reaction time was controlled by the rate of production of dimethylketene. The temperature in the reaction vessel was kept at 2540 and the product was obtained by continuously overflowing the reaction solution into a wiped film molecular still to remove the hexane. Final purification consisted of a distillation through a packed column to give a high yield of 3 -methoxy-2,Z-dimethylcyclobutanone, B.P. 157, 11 1.4340.

Example 13 i CsHsCHzO (OHa)z A mixture of 140 g. (2.0 moles) of dimethy-lketene and 134 g. (1.0 mole) of benzyl vinyl ether was stirred under nitrogen. The reaction slowly became warm and refluxed. After the temperature subsided, the solution was filtered to remove tetramethyl-l,3-cyclobutanedione and the filtrate was distilled through a 10-in. packed column to give g. of 3-benzyloxy-2,Z-dimethylcyclobutanone, B.P. 102 (1mm.), n 1.5070.

Analysis.Calcd. for C H O Found: C, 76.5; H, 8.1.

Example 14 I claim: 1. A compound of the formula:

l R C(])=O R OOHCHz wherein each of R and R is a saturated hydrocarbyl [radical of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R is a hydrocarbyl radical free of acetylenic unsaturation having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, and R R and R together contain 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

, 7 2. A compound of the formula: 7 References Cited by the Examiner R2 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,059,030 10/1962 Park et a1. 260-586 l 5 3,100,716 8/1963 Kibler et a1 106-187 7 3,106,580 10/1963 Phillips 260-686 wherein R and R are selected from the roup consisting 1 1; 1151321 511316 et a1 of methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, i-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, octyl and pentarnethylene; R is 56- OTHER REFERENCES lected from the group consisting of butyl, i-butyl, 2-ethy1- 10 t C 'hexyl, decyl, octadecyl, ment-hyl, cyclohexyl and benzyl g ig f Helv' Acta" 19 to 22 and R R and R together contain at least 8 carbon Adams at at Organic Reactions V01 12 48 49 .atoms.

3. 2,2-di-methyl-3 Z-ethylhexyloxy cyclobutanone. 1962) 4. 2,2-dimethyl-3-decyloxycyclobutanone. 15 LEON ZITVER, Primary Examiner.

5. 2,2-di-methyl-3-octadecyloxycyclobntanone. 6. 2,2-dimethyl-3-menthyloxycyclobutanone. MARCUS LIEBMAN Examiner 7. 2,2-dimethyl-3-cyclohexyloxycyclobutanone. D. I. ARNOLD, M. M. JACOB, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA: 